This One Actually Works: How many deodorant brands can the market bear?

If new brand and product launches are any indication, there is no clear favorite when it comes personal care consumers’ preferred form of deodorant today. Pastes, creams, sprays, powders, roll-ons, sticks, wipes are all readily available.

Axilla Natural Deodorant Paste is among the best-selling products for indie Australian brand Black Chicken Remedies​.  The Massachusetts-based grooming brand Brother’s Artisan Oil has a variety of Magnesium Stick Deodorants among its collection of hygiene products. And under-the-radar naturals brands like Alaffia and Zatik both have deodorants in their product lines too (sticks and roll-ons, respectively).

Alissa Bayer’s Texas-based spa brand milk + honey has a cream deodorant. From the same state, Mary Berry (founder of Texas Beauty Labs), Angela Ubias (her business partner since 2013), and Cynthia Korman (of PHLUR) recently launched the deo brand Explore Naturals. And these brands aren’t the half of what’s going on in the deodorant market place today.

Indie ideas​

Mila Juriktovski used this January’s IBE LA event to debut her brand nala care: “Nala is a free-from beauty line that marries science with nature, provides high quality, effective products, and encourages deep self care,” ​according to the site. The Vancouver, British Columbia -based brand began with a selection of 3 deodorant sticks: Detox: Peppermint & Activated Charcoal, Lemon Myrtle & Geranum, and Sandalwood & Bergamont.

Type A brands, from Allison Moss is banking on a squeeze tube format for her cream-style natural deodorant. “Currently we’re focused on reaching US consumers, though we do get a lot of interest from international markets,” ​Moss told Cosmetics Design late last year in her Indie Beauty Profile​.

Stacia Guzzo’s SmartyPits deodorant sticks come in both a standard size and a mini; and the brand has formulas for sensitive skin too. “We started out selling our deodorant under another company we founded back in 2014…along with handmade soaps, bath bombs, lip balms, and DIY kits,” ​says Guzzo in her Indie Beauty Profile​. “The deodorant,” ​she explains, “was the product that gained the most traction (and quickly!), and we decided that it deserved its own branding…SmartyPits launched as an independent brand in April of 2017.”​

Savvy styles ​

Rebecca So recently showcased her personal care and lifestyle brand Sway at Beauty Squared in New York City. Her brand’s natural deodorants are formulated with apple cider vinegar and “fight body odor by restoring and maintaining the natural pH balance of the underarm skin, creating an environment that minimizes odor-causing bacteria,” ​according to the brand’s site.

And Sway takes underarm care beyond odor reduction. The brand also has an underarm mask and a dusting powder that works with the deo in much the same way setting powder does with color cosmetics. Read more about Sway here on Cosmetics Design​.

Unilever recently launched deodorant wipes and minis sprays for several of its deodorant brands, including Dove, Degree, and Axe. “There are countless moments where these wipes can provide a fresh re-set,” ​Dawn Hedgepeth, general manager and vice president of the company’s deodorant, men’s grooming, and hand and body lotion, told the press in February. Read more about that Unilever launch here on Cosmetics Design​.  

And myro made headlines when launching a plant-based gender non-specific deodorant in fully recyclable packaging in 2018. “With high-end, yet environmentally friendly packaging,​ elevated, gender-inclusive scents, and a unique direct-to-consumer model, we aim to raise the bar higher,”​ brand founder and CEO Greg Laptevsky told the press​.  

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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.